Paul Rees sees the wheel turn, proof of how despair for some teams can quickly turn into dreams

Was it only eight years ago that none of the Six Nations sides made the semi-finals of the World Cup? France were disembowelled by New Zealand in the last eight, Ireland filleted by Argentina, Wales pipped by South Africa and Scotland thwarted by Australia after a disputed late penalty.
Hosts England never made it that far, beaten at Twickenham by Wales and Australia, and Italy made the familiar early return home having struggled to overcome Canada and Romania. If, on the surface, it looked as if...